Dhaka, Delhi agree to lift port restrictions to boost trade

The consensus was reached during the 16th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade held recently in New Delhi, according to Sayedur Rahman, Press Minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

The Bangladesh delegation raised strong demands for removing port-related restrictions while tabling several key proposals. These included the harmonization of product standards, trade facilitation across land customs stations, removal of barriers in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policies, and simplification of rules under free trade agreements.

In turn, the Indian delegation presented issues concerning their commercial interests, specifically raising concerns over existing port restrictions on yarn and other commodities, technical standards compliance, and railway and inland transit protocols.

Both sides engaged in open discussions regarding ongoing trade challenges and agreed to avoid prolonging unresolved issues. They pledged to settle commercial disputes promptly through regular, constructive dialogue.